Mr G ‘Retrospective’

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Mr G / Retrospective

Vinyl / Digital / CD 

Rekids / Released July 2013

 

Short of writing an essay entitled ‘Why Mr G means so much to me’, there’s not a lot that can be said to truly get across quite how good it is to see a producer that has been around for this long finally get some of widespread recognition he deserves. And, whilst personal preference would opt for work on The End or his own Phoenix G  imprint, as oppose to his ‘comeback’ work release by the fine organisation responsible for this collection, that isn’t to say the music maker’s latter work on Radioslave’s Rekids hasn’t  been hugely enjoyable too.

Nevertheless, what’s important here is the glint of light being shed on some of the funkiest and filthiest tech house and techno to have come from Britain during the late-90s and early noughties. Tracks like Moments encapsulate  the spirit of small, intimate parties during that time, and define what it means to make groove-driven, sledgehammer-heavy house music informed by darker, more driving tones. It’s relentless melodic hook and runaway hi-hats ensuring every head in earshot is going to be engrossed within a few minutes.

Tougher still is the pounding, raw, and ultimately roof-lifting Eye Poke, reminiscent of early Daft Punk’s harder end, with more amphetamine. Basic, but in the best possible way, anyone who hasn’t heard it at some point over the years probably wasn’t listening properly. And even when it’s this solid, there’s something ultimately very danceable and dirty to the whole affair. Take Lights, or I’m Dirty as cases in point. With brass stabs and disco flairs abound you could even go so far as to say some of it even touches on hard house, but in a fantastic, R.I.P. Tony De Vit kind of way. One of those rare instances in which an anthology is actually worth owning then, this is one release we implore you not to ignore.

 


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